Sonata Official: 2010 Hyundai Sonata

[ateekt]

Wow...if it's not German you all will give it a hard time. Give them a chance for heaven sake.

Imho, if it's not German... it's not proper motoring! I've driven every origin's car as daily driver!

Excluding Russian brands... because they are scary & sophisticated enough for me to avoid them!

 

[EnI]

Com'on mate! They're chasing 5-Series with Genesis & S-Class with Equus! They've observed, chrome is luxury!

You know how it goes ... A dog with a lot of make up is still a dog (not a lady).

Yes, chrome ... Door handles as well.

It looks like Hyundai want's to be new Lexus ... copying Lexus marketing formula from the 90s (offering "cheap luxury").

Btw, there is a great article in AutoBild ... ask a question whether Audi is a bit redundant now when VW is climbing upscale. But then same question can be asked for VW - vs the Skoda.

What is automotive luxury anyway? Lot's of chrome, wood ... + tons of comfort & convenience feature.

 

[EnI]

Wow...if it's not German you all will give it a hard time. Give them a chance for heaven sake.

It's generic. IMO KIA has much better design lately than Hyundai (which is still too generic: mixing together the design elements of other brands).

 

[Merc1]

I can't wait until that big one goes on sale year, the Equious or whatever its called. That is going to be the real test, 50K for a Hyundai? I can't see it.

M

 

[EnI]

I can't wait until that big one goes on sale year, the Equious or whatever its called. That is going to be the real test, 50K for a Hyundai? I can't see it.

M

Equus (a horse ... latin for horse / steed) ... even more chrome there ... = more luxury?

Although the hood ornament (a sign of luxury as well?) looks more like rabbit's ears.

 

[ateekt]

What is automotive luxury anyway? Lot's of chrome, wood ... + tons of comfort & convenience feature.

All that + a big price-tag, which is basically the name-and-fame factor! And Hyundai lacks that big time!

I can't wait until that big one goes on sale year, the Equious or whatever its called. That is going to be the real test, 50K for a Hyundai? I can't see it.

M

Are you serious? If yes... than I must say, you have a very good sense of humor mate!

 

[EnI]

All that + a big price-tag, which is basically the name-and-fame factor! And Hyundai lacks that big time!

That didn't stop Lexus in US market in the 90s.

Brand-new & unknown luxury brand turned into success - at least in US market.

Or VW - turning into semi-luxury brand as well.

Now it seems Hyundai is pushing Hyundai brand upstairs into semi-premium, while KIA will be more "economy class".

Think VW vs Skoda.


But rivaling MB, BMW, Audi, Lexus directly? I don't think so.

 

[Mr Robert]

No, in this case it has very little to do with name and fame. Here, it is obvious that they have overdone it, this is not something original, this is more like someone who has heard that organic design is in now and did a very organic design, very organic, like it is melting.

 

[Mr Robert]

Although the hood ornament (a sign of luxury as well?) looks more like rabbit's ears.

This is why I have such a hard time with many Asian manufactureres. No clue as to how to take a path of themselves...

 

[Merc1]

All that + a big price-tag, which is basically the name-and-fame factor! And Hyundai lacks that big time!



Are you serious? If yes... than I must say, you have a very good sense of humor mate!

No serious. I don't see it being a success.

M

 

[Merc1]

VW is NOT a luxury brand in the U.S. or anywhere else. That is called "illusions of grandeur".

M

 

[ateekt]

That didn't stop Lexus in US market in the 90s.

Brand-new & unknown luxury brand turned into success - at least in US market.

Or VW - turning into semi-luxury brand as well.

Now it seems Hyundai is pushing Hyundai brand upstairs into semi-premium, while KIA will be more "economy class".

Think VW vs Skoda.


But rivaling MB, BMW, Audi, Lexus directly? I don't think so.

I agree! Lexus took it's time to stand up + it had the Toyota's history! Hyundai (imo) is adventuring!

Kia is doing the right thing! Hyundai claims to compete Merc, Bmw, Lexus etc... that imo, is too soon!

 

[EnI]

VW is NOT a luxury brand in the U.S. or anywhere else. That is called "illusions of grandeur".

M

Nobody said that.

I was talking about Euro market - therefore also comparison with Skoda. In Europe VW has kinda semi-premium image ... or at least "best-of economy". Audi is premium. Skoda is economy.

In US there's no Skoda ... just VW & Audi. And even Audi has problems with premium image, while VW is consequently even below image wise.

 

[ateekt]

No serious. I don't see it being a success.

M

I got you right than! It has to be a joke... Merc money for Hyundai? Still, you'll see people buying them!

Imo, Phaeton was the greatest try ever from a regular brand to compete with premium brands! And if Vw, was not successful with that product... Hyundai stands no chance with that Equus! It's hard, very hard!

 

[Giannis]

Wow, very nice topics raised here guys! Very interesting thread!

1. Rerarding VW. From one point of view, they try to become more luxury oriented brand, something like tier 2 luxury and compete with Alfa Romeo, Saab, Volvo and co. Products like the new Golf VI and the new Polo confirm this. Just look at how upscale both those models are and look, plus the hefty pricetag. From another point of view, there are models that scream that VW is still peoples' car. Products like the Passat and the Fox also prove that. A Passat costs only 2k more than a Golf here, and quality wise, the Golf is much much better. Also the Fox, is a 9k car with a VW badge. It's not good for VW's image if they want to become more luxury. They have to consider their brand placement, as peoples' cars of as tier 2 luxury and offer the proper models.

2. As far Skoda is concerned: Since VW is moving upmarket, they have to re-establish the Skoda brand. Use typical VAG underpinnings (the Octavia sits on a Golf stretch chassis and uses the same engines and gearboxes) and add tons of wood and conservative german styling, and you have a fantastic interpretation of how a german luxury yet affordable car is. Yes there are "details" like the wood and the TSI turbo engines, or the good equipment that make the car look like luxury, yet the mass market appeal, the low price and the mediocre materials, make Skoda, what VW used to be. The german "Peoples' car".

3. Regarding Audi: Since VW is trying to move upmarket it will soon compete with Audi, so Audi will have to move upmarket and directly compete in every aspect (materials, design, engines, handling, fun, marketing strategy, etc) with BMW and MB.

_____

About those new Hyundai models. Apparently the Hyundai officialls observed the success of the Lexus experiment, and noted that there is such thing as "japanese luxury". Let's not forget that survey that showed that more than 80% of the americans thought that H. is japanese, not korean.

Anyway, it's like H. decided to go the Lexus way: Make a car that looks luxurious, has tons of equipment and is very competitive price-wise with the german luxuries. It worked for Lexus, but at least Lexus ended up with something resembling a design identity, yet not 100% original, but that's another story.

In order to make a car look (NOT FEEL) luxurious there are some things that you must do. You have to add tons of wood and chrome. The problem is offering quality wood in huge amounts, yet looking good, plus offering some small chrome details without the final product looking to shiny and bling-bling. Overdone is what these latest luxury-Hyundais are.

That said, I have to admit that this new H. strategy is quite a good one. They offer KIA as the now affordable korean brand, and they move the Hyundai brand more upmarket to compete with Lexus. They have a fame of building reliable cars, and they made a descent product (Genesis). There are a lot of things to be done to compete with Lexus, but H is doing very good.